Method for cleaning containers



' 192?. May D. A. DOUGHERTY METHOD FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS Filed April 13. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l May 24, 1927. 1,629,486

D. A. DOUGHERTY METHOD FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS Filed April. 15, 1925 5 sheeis fiheei',

I N VEN TOR fiat/225400 0;

HA5 ATTORNEY Mfg 555175:

Patented May 24, v1927. V

UNITED STATES DANIEL A. DOUGHERTY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS.

Application flled April 13, 1925. Serial No. 22,575.

My invention relates to method and apparatus for cleaning containers, such as barrels, drums, milk cans, and more particularly drums used for transporting oil.

The usual method requires use of steam, water and a cleaning compound, and various operations in different sequences to suit the particular type of containers.

The chief objection to these methods is that the use of a cleaning compound, the waste of the water used in rinsing, the generation and maintenance of the steam, and

the several operations required, make them g slow and costly.

The objects of my invention are to provide method and apparatus by which containers may be cleaned and rinsed in one operation without use of a cleaning compound; by which the cleaning Water may be heated with a small quantity of heat, and by which waste of cleaning and rinsing water is eliminated.

These objects, and other advantageous ends whicli'will be described hereinafter, 'I attain in the following manner, reference being had .to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is acentral section, partly diagrammatic, of apparatus made in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 an enlarged fragmentary sectlon taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 an enlarged view of the container shown in Figure 1, illustrating the-action of the water thereon, and

Figure 5 a modified form of steam distributing element which forms a part of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a well; 2 a suitable pump, diagrammatically illustrated, connected to the well by a pipe 3 for lifting the water from the well; 4 a heater connected with the pump; 5 .horizontal water pipes connected with the hgater; 6 upright nozzles connected with the horizontal water pipes; 7 troughs in WhlCh the nozzles and water pipes are mounted and hereinafter called nozzle troughs; 8 troughs above which the containers are conveyed for draining }the liquid therefrom, hereinafter called container troughs; 9-dra1n traps in the troughs for recelvlng water from the troughs, and 10 a pipe line connecting the drain traps with each other and with the well. A suitable che'cl: valve 11,

a controlling valve 12, a strainer 13, a gage 14, and a thermometer 15, are connected to the apparatusto-efliciently control the same.

Heater 4 consists of a tubular casing 16 having a casting 17 connected thereto. A steam plpe 18 is disposed concentrically 1n caslng 16 and has perforations 19 inclined to the axis of the pipe and leading forwardly and outwardly. The perforations increase in size toward the forward end of the pipe. In actual practice I have obtained 00d results by making a group of perforations, 20, A; of an inch in diameter, a group, 21, t; of an inch inidiameter and a group, 22, of an inch in diameter. Perforated pipe 18 is connected by an elbow and a pipe 23 with a steam line 24 and casting 17. The

connection toone branch of the Y-casting is made by threading pipe 23 to a flange 25 secured to the branch. The other branch of the casting is connected with the water line leading to the pump. The discharge end 26 of the heater casing is connected with the water line 5 leading to the nozzles.

Nozzle troughs 7 are provided with'cross bars 27 to w ich pipes 5 are clamped by U-shaped bolts 28. Angle bars 29 are secured at opposite sides of troughs 7 and 8 to reinforce the corners and serve to support the containers while being cleaned or'rolled to the cleaning position. Drain traps 9 are preferably disposed near the end of the trough. A strainer 30 is placed over each drain trap to prevent solid matter from passing therein. The drain'traps are connected to each otherby pipe line 10.

Each nozzle is preferably made up of a pipe 31 and a series of pipe sections 32. The

pipe sections are threaded one within the other and each has perforations arranged at a different angle. The perforations of the upper section lead upwardly and outwardly, those of the middle section lead sideways and those of the lower section lead downwardly and outwardly. Arranging the perforations in this manner causes the water jets to issue therefrom at different angles and be deflected against the sides of the container as indicated in Figure 4. This action loosens and washes away the foul matter from the i'nterior of the container.

In Figure 5, I have shown a modified form of steam distributing element which may be substituted for the pipe 18. This element consists of a series of pipe sections 33 threaded one within the other and provided with inclinedperforations 34. This type of steam distributing unit allows different sized perforations. to be used by'. merely unscrewing the section having the undesired perforation and replacing it with a section having the proper size of perforation.

To clean a container, it is rolled on angle bars 29 of the container trough 8 to the position adjacent a nozzle 6. It is then placed in trough 7 with the nozzle extending within the container through its opening. The water is then turned on by opening valve 35. lVater raised from the low level of well 1 is placed under pressure by pump 2 and heated in heater 4 by steam passing -out of the perforations 19 into the water. Making the perforations small and increasing in size toward the forward end of the pipe largely eliminates the rattling noise usually present in heaters of this type.- This isdue to the small amount of steam passed through the group of perforations20 to slightly heat the water before it passes the group of perforations 21. This group allows more steam to' pass into the water to raise its tem erature before it reaches the group of per orations 22. The water is raised to such temperature atethis point that the amount of steam passing through perforations 22 will not cause a loud rattling noise. inclining the perforations in the direction of the flow of the water causes the steam to assist the flow and increase the velocity of the water. The flow of steam and water is so regulated that the water will be heated to a temperature not exceeding its boiling point under the pressure. After the water is heated, it passes under pressure through pipe 5 and out of the perforations in nozzle 6. The interior of the container being under atmospheric pressure, which is lower than the pressure of the water in the heater, causes the heat in the water to change a part of the water into steam. The steam loosens the foul matter and'the water carries it out of the container. The jets of steam and water issuing from the lower pipe section of the nozzle, agitate the water and foul matter at the bottom of the container so that the foul matter is carried away with the water. The water and foul matter are drained from the trough into trap 9 and from the trap through ipe 10 to the low level of well 1. If the find matter is oil it may be reclaimed by draining it off through an overflow ipe 36 in the well. The water may thus be ept clean and used again.

After the container is cleaned the water is shut off and the container removed from the nozzle and placed on an le bars 29 of.

container trough 8. The outside of the container is then cleaned by a hose '37 connected to any part of the pipe line for receiving the hot water under ressure. The action of the hot water on t e foul matter on the outside of the drum is similar to the action on the foul matter on the inside. After the outside of the container is cleaned, any water remaining .in it is removed. The container is then dried by blowing heated air into the container in any suitable manner such as by placing the containers over upright hot air pipes arranged like the nozzles G or by blowing the hot air into the container with a hose similar to the hose 3?. The container being heated by the hot water while cleaned, greatly assists the drying action and shortens the time for drying.

With the method and apparatus above described, containers may be quickly cleaned. without the use of cleaning compounds and without costly maintenanceand generation of steam since the hot water after performing its cleaning function returns to the well to be used again.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence i do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A method for cleaning containers with water consisting of placing pressure on the water, heating it to a temperature not exceeding its boiling point under said pressure but exceeding its boiling point under atmospheric pressure, discharging the water against the container, and conveying the discharge water to be placed under pressure again.

2. A method for cleaning containers with water consisting of lifting the water from a low level, placing pressure on the water, heating the water to a tem erature not exceeding its boiling point unc er said pressure but exceeding its boiling point under atmospheric pressure; discharging the water against the interior of a container which is under lower pressure, whereby a part of the water will change into steam and loosen the foul matter from the container and the water will wash the foul matter out of the container, straining the water of foul llnatier, and draining the water to the low eve In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification;

DANIEL A. DOUGHERTY. 

